Domi Gratz | From budding to blooming
Who is Domi Gratz?
Domi Gratz, or Dominique Gratz is an Austrian contemporary artist.
Domi Gratz studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna in the class of graphics and printmaking techniques.
Gratz started media painting and drawing on canvas and paper to create a new dynamic in her works.
The artist graduated from her course in June 2021 with a diploma of excellence.
The artist works with Acrylic paint, oil- and pastel chalk forming an element that conveys at first glance a naive lightness.
The use of chalks enables her to be spontaneous and intuitive in her work process.
This spontaneity is essential for an unfiltered and unadulterated projection of her environment.
The subject of her artwork is everyday things, influenced by her close social contacts, as well as thoughts and ideas, implementing them into her work using her own personal vocabulary.
These simplifications and symbolizations are decisive for her creative process and express her inner workings.
Through this symbolic language in combination with writing, the viewers are involved in a dialogue.
The text in her work does not only act as a name-giver for her artworks but also works as a medium to share with the viewer her comments, marginal notes, and personal disclosures, always underlining subtly the cynicism and comedy of the motifs depicted.
This suggested carelessness hides the true complexity of the narrative for Gratz's works are often socially critical, and their messages thematized in a subjective way.
I ASKED DOMI A FEW QUESTIONS AND HERE IS WHAT SHE TOLD ME:
WHEN AND HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU ARE AN ARTIST?
I think I already knew at a young age, that I wanted to become an artist later in life.
There really was no plan B, art has always been my only passion.
When I was 15 I decided to attend an art school in Vienna.
My family was always very supportive, even though they were not interested in art.
WHICH ARTISTS WOULD YOU COLLECT?
Cy Twombly, Maria Lassnig, Jean Michel Basquiat and Egon Schiele.
I would buy all of those artists if I had money.
WHERE DO YOU WORK?
At the moment I am working a lot from home, but I also have my studio space at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna.
But in the future, I want to have my own studio, maybe with some colleagues.
But before I share a studio, I definitely should be become less chaotic!
DESCRIBE YOUR WORK IN THREE WORDS.
Emotional, spontaneous and naïve.
WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?
Mostly it is a work in progress-situation, I don't usually plan what to do in advance.
I see or get impressions of something and then I start working.
Recently I have started making sketches using Microsoft Paint, I wanted to save material, which helped develop my current brush strokes, which was a nice side effect.
Generally, drawings are quicker (time) than paintings, before you can start a painting you have to prepare your materials, which is more time consuming.
DID THE ENVIRONMENT YOU GREW UP IN INFLUENCE YOUR WORK?
I live and grew up in Vienna, but this had/has not had a special influence on me.
Vienna is a beautiful City, very old buildings and historical.
In my opinion my art is not always „beautiful" in a common way and it doesn't always have to be.
I want to express my feelings and my point of view, not the ideal version of my environment.
DO YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA?
Yes, I use Facebook and Instagram, but for my art I prefer to use Instagram because I like that it is image focused.
WHEN DO YOU DO YOUR BEST WORK?
I don't have a special time frame.
When it happens, it happens!
Moreover, I would say I'm a moody worker like when I'm totally in the zone I can work for hours, but sometimes I cannot even work for weeks!
Explore available works from the artist on our online store!
